Yeonggwang-gun, Bulkapsa Statue Group of 2 Designated as Jeollanam-do Tangible Cultural Properties

[Asia Economy Honam Reporting Headquarters Reporter Jeon Seong] Yeonggwang-gun, Jeollanam-do (Governor Kim Jun-seong) announced on the 22nd that the ‘Bulkapsa Myeongbujeon Wooden Jizo Bodhisattva Triad and Ten Kings’ and the ‘Bulkapsa Palsangjeon Wooden Sakyamuni Triad and Arhat Statues’ have recently been designated as Tangible Cultural Properties of Jeollanam-do.

The ‘Bulkapsa Myeongbujeon Wooden Jizo Bodhisattva Triad and Ten Kings,’ designated as Jeollanam-do Tangible Cultural Property No. 340, was created by 17 people including Muyeom (無染), a representative sculptor monk of the 17th century.

It is a statue with a confirmed production date (1654) and is an excellent sculptural work that well represents the production style of the early Joseon Dynasty, with a good state of preservation.

The ‘Bulkapsa Palsangjeon Wooden Sakyamuni Triad and Arhat Statues,’ designated as Jeollanam-do Tangible Cultural Property No. 341, were created by 10 people including the sculptor monk Chobyeon (楚卞) in the early 18th century. The production date (1706) is confirmed, and the sculpting techniques, such as the vivid expression of the statues, are outstanding, giving it great academic and artistic value.

With the new designation of these two cultural properties, the county now holds a total of 56 designated cultural properties (16 national, 40 Jeollanam-do) and 7 county local cultural heritages.

A county official stated, “We will do our best to manage and utilize the designated cultural heritages, and continuously discover undesignated cultural heritages within the county to manage valuable cultural heritages effectively and systematically.”